Officers seek to block state's appeal in Freddie Gray case

BALTIMORE – Three Baltimore police officers charged in the Freddie Gray case are asking Maryland's second-highest court to block the state from appealing a lower-court ruling barring another officer from testifying against them.

Lawyers for Lt. Brian Rice and officers Garrett Miller and Edward Nero attached the motions to Baltimore Circuit Court filings made public Tuesday. The motions are directed to the Court of Special Appeals.

Prosecutors have told the appellate court they intend to appeal Circuit Judge Barry Williams' Jan. 20 ruling barring them from forcing William Porter to testify against the others. Porter's manslaughter trial in the Gray case ended in a hung jury in December.

Defense attorneys say Williams' decision is not appealable. They say the state is just trying to postpone their clients' trials until after Porter's retrial.